Quills and Ink
by Auburn Roses
Summary: Their love story was buried under those quills and ink. He would do anything to get that happy ending for her, even if he is not the leading man to their story, just to see her beautiful smile again.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **Edited the part where Draco tells Hermione that he had never seen her before and revised it to him telling her that they were former best friends._  
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* * *

_Prologue_

* * *

_Hermione Granger,_

_We've been writing to each other for two years now, and I think it has been quite the experience. Every week, I know more about you. Every week, you know more about me. Whenever my owl would drop a letter from you, I would sing in glee. Your replies, Hermione, are one of the reasons why my friends would catch me grinning like that old Cheshire Cat from that movie you're so fond of. It's one of the reasons why I admire you so. But after this letter, I fear I may not receive a reply from you at all, for this letter is to tell you how much I've fallen in love with you._

_Yes, you've read that right. You might think that this is not me, that this is not how "I roll". We have been best friends for quite awhile now, so I guess I'm throwing whatever good opinions you have of me. If you were to ask why, I have a dandy list I have written last night, and I wouldn't mind sending it to you. I'm just afraid that my owl will break its neck, as it is as thick as a book. _

_Pardon me for my shaky handwriting, for I don't really know how to compose my thoughts and feelings I recently discovered._

_I know you have Cedric Diggory as your boyfriend, and I respect that. I'm not expecting you to ditch him and fall in love with me. Heck, I'm not even asking for a chance to duly express what I feel. It's a far cry, I know that. It's just that this feeling is eating me up alive, and I want to utter a word or two about this before it fully kills me. But know this: one of us is bound to fall in love with the other anyway. Or so, they told me. I just wished I manned up before that Diggory guy. We would've been quite the couple, wouldn't we? That is, if you would've given me the chance._

_My hat's off to you, Granger. Me, falling in love with a woman? It seems unpredictable. Absurd, if you may. But you're different, and I would very much like it if you would trust me on this one. You know how much I hate the other gender, and letting go of these words means a lot to me. So please, make it count and believe me._

_If I truly knew the Hermione Granger, I would think that she would be deep in thought while reading this, wondering if there's another meaning lying behind these words. My intentions are pure, whereas my heart lies with you. It probably has been for awhile now, but I just figured it out last night while I was watching reruns of a show whose title I've forgotten. I tried clearing up my thoughts a little, but I ended up thinking of you until dawn. That's when I knew that I this feelings are real, that I was just too stubborn to acknowledge them. Please forgive me for being a little bit too honest._

_I would say I'm sorry, but I would be lying. I don't regret any of this. I don't regret writing a word to you about what I feel. I don't regret running towards the nearest post office, in my pajamas nonetheless, to let you know as soon as possible. Once again, I'm not hoping for anything to change._

_I'm your friend, and I wanted to be honest with you. How about that?_

_I called your best friend, Ginny Weasley, after reading_ his_ name on your previous letter and asked if she could tell something me about this new boyfriend of yours. I wanted to know more about him. I am still that protective guy who you laugh at so much. Don't blame me. Anyway, I learned that he was, and I quote, "that guy with that loopy smile, beautiful hair and other handsome features." Will you slaughter me if I told you that I was a bit disappointed? Really, Hermione? Where's the girl who wrote to me about hating clichés and wanting to live a life proving others wrong by telling them how non-clichés exist?_

_But then again, if you were with me, in a relationship and not in an average quill pal - quill pal relationship, it'd probably be a cliché, too. Falling in love with your quill pal… I think I saw that on the Table of Contents of the Book of Biggest Clichés. Bought the book, too, if you'd ask._

_Thank you, love. I know I'm not making sense right now, and that you wouldn't be looking for a highly explained story of how I was insane enough to lower my pride down, grab my trusty pen and write a letter that could possibly change my life. But thank you, thank you for just existing._

_Again, I wouldn't be waiting for a reply. But if you had the heart to at least think about it, I would be grateful. Hopefully, these feelings would change, and that you are still comfortable with playing this endeavor with me._

_I'm counting on you, Hermione._

She sighed, thrusting the letter back to its envelope. It has been three weeks since Shrilly, her little owl, came by with a letter in her beak. She was thrilled when she saw that it was from a dear friend, but immediately frowned after she finished reading. It was not signed, but she knew where, or more specifically, _who_ it came from. Draco Malfoy.

Her heart had memorized his name.

He knew her more than she knew herself, and that's why she, until now, was wondering why he sent this to her. For a second there, she thought he was joking. That maybe, he made a mistake. But like him, she knew him better than he knows himself.

And she knows he speaks, or rather, writes the truth.

She wanted to write him a reply, but her hand was writing wiggly letters that even she could not comprehend. She feared that she would intensify what he already feels and accidentally boost the chance of them being together. She wanted none of that, really. She just wanted her good old friend back. The friend who was not in love with her.

_"So why can't I write a decent word?_" she thought.

A loud knock echoed in her room, and she suddenly snapped out of her thoughts. She quickly hid the letter with the other letters Draco has given her and placed the box under her bed. She looked at her room and scanned if there was anything out of place. When she saw that there was none, she then opened the door and gave out a smile when she saw that it was only her best friend's son, Albus Potter.

"Hi, Aunt Hermione," he uttered.

She smiled. "What can I do for you, Albus? Is your mother calling me?"

He frowned and shook his head, "No, she isn't. She's rather busy at the moment."

She raised her eyebrow. "With what? She's finished with making lunch, isn't she?"

"Your boyfriend's here, Aunt Hermione. He said that he would like to talk to you privately. Mum told me to come and get you. He's wearing that weird smile again you people hate so much."

"Oh."


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

* * *

_"_You're ridiculously wealthy, successful and debonair. Most women have been falling for your feet. Has ever one of them caught your attention or have you decided to take a break from the dating guild?"

It was a brilliant Monday afternoon, and Draco Malfoy was in his office, smiling widely. It didn't reach his eyes though. With that happening frequently, people were convinced that it was his real smile, but to a few others, it was a façade he had made for himself. Draco didn't care less; he wasn't just up to the formalities. Interviewers come up to him, ask similar questions and he gives something he has already said. It was getting rather boring to him. He horribly missed his simple life he once had because it was more adventurous and exciting.

Like the life he had with her, most especially.

He forced a smile. "It's not that I took a break from it, it's just because I haven't found "the one," or whatever people call soul mates nowadays. Besides, most women look for these perfections which I may have, but frankly, I would rather have somebody look at my imperfections and love me because of them."

The interviewer, Parvati Patil, let her quill and paper stop from writing. She looked at her old schoolmate and furrowed her eyebrows. In her opinion, his answer was personal. These sort of answers were something she would ask her interviewees if she could publish them on paper. Unlike Rita Skeeter, Parvati wanted truth yet she would like to ensure the safety of these public characters.

So she asked him, for the lack thereof. He replied with a curt nod and gave her full permission, as he had found a fondness over her. Truthfully, he didn't really know what might come out from what he said, but he just didn't simply care. He knew that he was a sad man, and that this interview opened the windows to his feelings, but it was something he would like to get out off his chest.

Parvati greeted him back with a concerned look and nodded back. "Here's another question, Mr. Malfoy. Along with these wonderful triumphs you had accomplished, you are also Hermione Granger's previous best friend. May I ask your opinions or views towards her recent engagement to Cedric Diggory?"

He blinked, and at that very second, he swore that time stopped. There was the news that has been haunting him for two weeks now, and he was quite disturbed. He didn't really know how to react, so he just simply shook his head and muttered a "no comment." But what she didn't know was that he really did have something to say, something that ran along the lines of: take me back, let me love you and let me be the one who has the honor of being your husband. He closed his mouth, and decided to keep his opinions to himself for the sake of the happiness she secluded herself in.

Parvati told him that she should leave and that there were more important matters she has to attend to. She smoothed out her pencil skirt and left his office without a trace. Draco leaned back to his chair and rolled his long-sleeved shirt up to his arms. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly.

It was like a slow, painful death and she was the only one who could save him.

* * *

"This is great, Hermione. You have finally established "social life" in your dictionary," Ginny Potter said.

Hermione sighed. "You do realize that I dismissed myself earlier than planned. I was planning to stay in the office and finish my work for tomorrow."

"I don't get it, Hermione. You delve into your work and you always finish beforehand. You basically have free time right on your fingertips. Why don't you just grab it?

"Three words, Ginny. Work piles up," Hermione said, exasperated. "As much as I would love to spend time away from that desolate prison, I couldn't let this one get out of hand. Unlike you, Ginny, I am passionate about my work; I strive for my work. You just sit around here and watch my godson grow up."

Ginny smirked. They were sitting in her dining room and were swapping stories. They usually do this once a week just to catch up, as what best friends would ordinarily do - be constantly updated with their best friends, that is. Ginny prepared some tea and Hermione brought a little workload to work on.

"Well, I guess the tough times are over. But anyway, let's talk about love. I heard the Wizarding World's buzzing about a head auror being engaged to a certain Quidditch player. Mind telling me what this is all about?"

Hermione grinned. "You know the details, Gin! I have nothing to further explain. You were all in my flat two weeks ago, he came by, dropped to his knees and proposed."

"That's the saddest love story I have ever heard."

"Well, I don't care about what you think. I am engaged to my darling of a boyfriend and I need nothing more."

Ginny sipped on her tea. "For starters, have you ever moved on from him? Do you even love him?"

Hermione stopped writing on her papers. "That's not fair, Gin."

"Oh, how could you, Hermione? That bloody git is head over heels in love with you. But here you are, still harboring feelings about a quill pal! Do you even love Cedric? Do you?"

Hermione sighed. As her best friend, Ginny had a right to shout mindlessly at her for doing something wrong. She, however, just don't know if what she did can be even classified as something wrong. She was moving on from the guy who melted her heart and she was focusing on the man she loves now. Draco Malfoy was just a significant other in the past and a quill pal, if you may. For Hermione, the Draco chapter was gone and she is finally having the happy ending she her been craving for.

She relayed her thoughts to her best friend, to which Ginny still considerably doubt. After all, Ginny knew her best friend. She was fiercely loyal to her friends and the ferret was no exemption.

"Prove it. Drop by at his house later tonight."

"Why can't just believe me, Gin?"

Ginny shook her head. "You may not know it, Hermione, but you're as transparent as a glass. Your flushed cheeks gave you away, actually. You're still in love with that ferret."

"I don't know about you, Ginny, but I'm pretty sure on what I feel for Draco and what I feel for Cedric. They are both wonderful people and I could never be here without them. But Gin, Cedric's the one I love and Draco's just my friend."

"Prove it."

* * *

The chilly wind wrapped her body. She was only wearing a strapless dress he had given her before and a green scarf. Needless to say, the scarf was not helping at all since the temperature was lowering down every second. She was going with her best friend's plan; she was going to prove her wrong. Her heart only shouts for Cedric's name and will never be etched again with the name of her quill pal, Draco.

She had decided to walk to his flat, as it was only three blocks away from hers. _Funny, _she thought. _We used to go on and on about how convenient living quite near to each other is. _

When she arrived, she knocked on his door and tried to plaster an impish smile. The wind had given her natural rosy cheeks and her hair raved and scattered with it. It was rather a natural look, something that would make Draco's heart swell even more. So when he opened his door, he was delighted with the gorgeous surprise. It was absolutely pleasant, but curiosity got a better hold on him.

"What are you doing here?"

She rubbed her arms. "I was trying to prove a point."

He stared at her. "Goodness, Granger. It is already two in the morning. What point did you have to prove wrong again?"

She bit her lip. "I needed to know."

"What?"

Hermione Granger had her life planned out: graduate with flying colors, apply for a job in the medical department in the Wizarding World and settle in eventually with the man she loves. It was simple, actually, but this man in front of her had always the natural talent in destroying her plans. She would say that she needed change, and he would be there to do it for her. His choices were always the life-changing ones, and she was only happy to welcome them.

First, she never had a chance to work in the famous St. Mungo's. He bribed her into applying in the Auror department, as he thinks she would only be too perfect for the job. He was right of course, and until that very moment, she was passionate about it. The second happened when he introduced her to that Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory. She was honestly considering Ronald Weasley as her husband, but when she met the delectable man, she had fallen in love. Because of this, their friendship had fallen apart because of reasons Malfoy was afraid to tell. The third was this moment, the moment where she had actually considered throwing her plans right out of the window.

And she did, as she stepped forward and swiftly pulled him to a kiss. His response was eager and violent. The kiss was passionate and raw; this was something she had never experienced before. The butterflies raving in her stomach was telling her to stop, but her heart egged her on. He bit her lip and roughly thrusted his tongue and battled against hers when she had opened her lips in surprise.

Before it became more serious, she pulled away and caught up with her breath.

"Ginny was right."


End file.
